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Dirofilaria corynodes (Von Linstow, 1899): Morphology and Life History

1969; American Society of Parasitologists; Volume: 55; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/3277355

1937-2345

Thomas C. Orihel,

Parasite Biology and Host Interactions

Dirofilaria corynodes (von Linstow, 1899) was found in 12 of 211 patas monkeys, Erythrocebus patas, imported from northern Nigeria. The microfilariae are unsheathed and circulate in the peripheral blood with a marked nocturnal periodicity. Microfilariae develop to the third-stage in the fat body of Aedes aegypti in about 14 days when the latter are maintained at a temperature of 28 C and 60% to 70% relative humidity. In the course of their development in the mosquito, the larvae molt twice. The first molt occurs on about the 9th day and the second on approximately the 14th day of development. Patas and rhesus monkeys were infected in the laboratory by the injection of third-stage larvae and by surgical implantation of adolescent worms. Prepatent development required approximately 280 days. The adult worms in histological sections displayed the characteristic morphological features of Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) spp. In the course of routine blood surveys undertaken to determine the prevalence of filariasis in monkeys admitted to the Delta Primate Center's primate colony, a species of microfilaria was found in 12 of 211 patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) from northern Nigeria. Necropsy examinations of infected animals which died of other causes revealed a species of Dirofilaria in the subcutaneous tissues of each. Morphological and biological studies were undertaken to determine the specific identity of the parasite and to evaluate its potential usefulness as a model system for projected studies. The report that follows presents a brief description of the adult worms and the microfilaria as well as observations on the development of the parasite in intermediate and definitive hosts in the laboratory.